1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to an LED light apparatus and methodology. More particularly the present invention relates to an LED light apparatus and methodology that can produce a collinear beam of white or colored light.
2. Background Information
An LED is a light emitting diode. A diode is a semiconductor i.e. a material with a varying ability to conduct electrical current. A semiconductor with extra electrons is referred to as N-type material and in this material free electrons move from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area. In contrast, a semiconductor with extra holes is a P-type material. Electrons in the P-type material jump from hole to hole moving from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area. A diode is composed of a section of N-type material bounded to a section of P-type material, with electrodes on one end. This arrangement conducts electricity in only one direction. When no voltage is applied to the diode, electrons from the N-type material fill holes from the P-type material along the junction between the layers, forming a depletion zone. In a depletion zone, the semiconductor material is returned to its original insulating state (all of the holes are filled, so there are no free electrons or empty spaces for electrons, and charge can't flow).
To get rid of the depletion zone, the electrons must get moving from the N-type area to the P-type area. In order to accomplish this, the N-type side of the diode is connected to the negative end of a circuit and the P-type side is connected to the positive end. The free electrons in the N-type material are repelled by the negative electrode and drawn to the positive electrode. The holes in the P-type material move the other way toward the negative electrode. When the voltage difference between the electrodes is high enough, the electrons in the depletion zone are boosted out of their holes and begin moving freely again. The depletion zone disappears and charge moves across the diode. The interaction between the electrons and holes generates light.
Light is a form of energy that can be released by an atom in packets known as photons. Photons are released as a result of electrons moving within the atom in orbitals around the nucleus. Electrons in different orbitals have different amounts of energy. For an electron to jump from a lower orbital to a higher orbital energy is often absorbed. However, an electron releases energy when it drops from a higher orbital to a lower orbital. The greater energy drop releases a higher energy photon which is typically characterized by higher frequency. Thus when free electrons move across a diode and fall into empty holes from the P-type layer they drop to a lower orbital and release energy in the form of photons.
Visible light emitting diodes, which are the type used in the present invention, are made up of materials that have a wider gap between their conduction band, or higher orbital, and the lower orbitals. Thus when the electrons fall to the lower orbitals over such a large distance, the energy released can be seen. The size of the gap determines the frequency of the photon and hence the color of the light. LEDs are specially constructed to release a large number of photons outward. Additionally they are housed in a plastic bulb that concentrates the light in a particular direction. Most of the light from the diode bounces off the sides of the bulb and travels out the end.
LEDs have several advantages over conventional incandescent lamps. For instance, LEDs don't have a filament that will burn out so they have a longer life. In addition, LEDs are efficient. In conventional incandescent bulbs, the light production process involves generating a lot of heat since the filament must be warmed. This is completely wasted energy, because the majority of the available electricity is not used to produce light. LEDs generate very little heat with a much greater percentage of the energy being used to generate light.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes LEDs, other lights that exist that would be considered an obvious substitute in the industry can be used.